200 charges laid in massive drug and weapons seizure in Sudbury
A 16-month multi-jurisdictional investigation into street gang activity has led to the arrest of 22 people and the seizure of more than $1.9 million worth of drugs, firearms and cash in northeastern Ontario.
Dubbed Project Saturate, the probe targeted the trafficking of fentanyl, cocaine and other illicit substances in the Greater Sudbury area, allegedly orchestrated by two GTA-based street gangs.
In a news release, Greater Sudbury Police Service (GSPS) said a total of 25 people, many from the GTA, were charged with 197 combined offences. Arrest warrants have been issued for three people who remain at large.
A total of 20 search warrants were executed in Sudbury, Mississauga, Hamilton, Richmond Hill, Pickering and Toronto over two days.
Get daily National news
Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
The operations involved an extensive collaboration among several police units, including tactical, emergency response and organized crime teams from municipal, provincial and federal law enforcement agencies.
Story continues below advertisement
The first search took place on May 8, followed by a second one on May 29.
Among the items seized were large quantities of narcotics, including approximately 7.3 kilograms of suspected fentanyl and 12 kilograms of suspected cocaine.
GSPS Chief Sara Cunningham said the seizure highlights the broader social cost of organized crime and the urgency of targeted enforcement.
'Illicit drugs pose a serious threat to the safety, security and overall wellness of our community,' said Cunningham.
Police also recovered four firearms, thousands of pills believed to be oxycodone and methamphetamine, a significant amount of cannabis, over $260,000 in cash, digital devices and property alleged to be linked to criminal activity.
'This quantity of drugs seized in a community like Sudbury is significant,' said OPP acting Det. Supt. Andy Bradford with the Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau. 'We also seized four firearms, which supports the notion that the presence of street gangs brings the potential for gun violence.'
Authorities say they remain committed to identifying, investigating and disrupting criminal networks through intelligence-led policing and strong collaborative partnerships at the local, provincial, and national levels.
'This significant seizure is a clear example of the harm caused by organized crime and the importance of taking decisive action,' said Cunningham.
Story continues below advertisement
Anyone with information about illegal firearms or drug trafficking is encouraged to contact the OPP or reach out anonymously to Crime Stoppers.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
21 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Jury finds leading proponent of ‘The Big Lie' defamed former voting equipment employee
DENVER (AP) — A jury found Monday that MyPillow founder Mike Lindell defamed a former employee of a prominent voting equipment company by calling him a traitor, telling Lindell and his online media platform to pay $2.3 million in damages. The decision came after a two-week trial involving one of the biggest proponents of the myth that the 2020 election was stolen, a lie that still dominates national politics. Other such cases have ended in settlements before they could go before a jury. What happened? The jury found that Lindell made two defamatory statements about Eric Coomer, the former product strategy and security director for Denver-based Dominion Voting Systems. On May 9, 2021, Lindell attacked voting machine companies and then said Coomer was a traitor. That statement came a day after Newsmax apologized to Coomer for airing false allegations against him. Lindell testified that he was upset because he thought Coomer had made a deal to prevent him from appearing on Newsmax to talk about voting machines. However, ahead of the trial, lawyers for both sides agreed that the settlement agreement between Coomer and Newsmax did not mention Lindell. The other statement came on April 6, 2022, a day after Lindell was served with Coomer's lawsuit as he was about to appear at an event at the Colorado state Capitol. Lindell accused Coomer of being 'part of the biggest crime this world has ever seen.' The jury also found Lindell's online media platform, Frankspeech, had defamed Coomer because of comments made by someone appearing at an election fraud symposium streamed on Frankspeech in 2021. The jury cleared Lindell of defaming Coomer eight other times for statements made by both himself and others who appeared on Frankspeech. What has been the reaction? In an appearance on his new online media platform, Lindell TV, on a show hosted by former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani right after the verdict, Lindell stressed that MyPillow, which promoted the 2021 symposium, was not found liable for any of the defamatory statements. Later Lindell told reporters that he would continue to speak out about voting machines. On Tuesday, Lindell's legal defense told supporters in an email that he had stood up for the First Amendment — echoing his defense team's approach — and was 'largely victorious' in the case. 'Mike Lindell stood alone — refusing to pay hush money and refusing to apologize for voicing concerns shared by millions of Americans,' it said. One of Coomer's attorneys, David Beller, said Lindell hurt not only Coomer but the democratic process. He thinks the jury's decision will help repair that damage. 'This verdict allows the county to heal, though undoubtedly with scars money cannot hide,' he said. What is defamation? Defamatory statements are comments that harm someone's reputation. Because Lindell's statements involved a matter of public concern — elections — jurors had to find that Lindell knew they were false or didn't bother to check out whether they were true or not. A 1964 ruling known as New York Times v. Sullivan and related cases set that higher legal bar for things said about public figures or matters. Truth is a defense against defamation. Lindell could have offered proof of his claims in order to defend himself at the trial but didn't. 'We met the highest constitutional standard under the First Amendment and that occurred in large part because Mr. Lindell claimed he had evidence of voter fraud by Dr. Coomer when he had none,' said Charles Cain, another lawyer who represented Coomer. Other cases and an apology Coomer has another lawsuit pending in Colorado involving a podcaster who said he had heard Coomer promise to rig the 2020 election in an alleged antifa conference call, an account that was also later shared at Lindell's symposium. He also is suing former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne in Florida. Salem Media Group, a Christian and conservative media company whose hosts had interviewed the podcaster about his account, said in statement on its website that it apologizes for the harm caused to Coomer and his family and that all statements about the allegations have been removed from its website. The company did not immediately respond to questions about when the apology was posted and why. 'The Big Lie' has taken hold of a chunk of the country Lindell has become one of the most enthusiastic proponents of what has been dubbed 'The Big Lie'— the idea that fraud cost Trump the 2020 election. The reason this has taken hold of a significant chunk of the country, despite being repeatedly disproved, is that its main proponent is the president himself. Trump has continued to insist that a murky conspiracy deprived him of a victory in 2020, even after he won an election with the same procedures this past November. There is no evidence of anything amiss with the 2020 election. Trump's then- attorney general said there was no indication of wide-scale fraud. That is the same conclusion of numerous recounts, audits and investigations — including multiple ones run by Republicans. Trump and his allies lost more than 50 court cases trying to overturn the election. Still, Trump famously never likes to admit he lost even when he did. In 2016, Trump claimed that fraud was why he lost the Iowa caucuses. Despite winning the 2016 presidential election in the Electoral College, Trump claimed fraud cost him the popular vote in that election. And he has embraced those who helped spread his lies about 2020 — Trump pardoned more than 1,000 people convicted of their role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol to keep Trump in office. He has met with Lindell in the Oval Office.
Global News
40 minutes ago
- Global News
Calgary police warn homeowners about string of brazen overnight break-ins
Calgary police said they have received more than 30 recent reports of overnight residential break and enters, while the homeowners were asleep in their beds. Police said most of the break-ins happened between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., and in many instances the thieves entered the homes by cutting through the screens of unlocked windows or gained entry through unlocked doors. After gaining entry to the homes, investigators said the thieves searched for keys to the owners' vehicles — and have managed to steal more than 20 of them in conjunction with the break-ins. 'Our offenders are primarily targeting vehicle keys. However, they are also stealing items of opportunity,' said Sgt. Rob MacKenzie, investigator in charge of the Calgary police break and enter team. 'So if there's a purse or wallet or electronics lying around, they're taking those as well. But their main focus is taking vehicle keys and then stealing those vehicles,' said MacKenzie. Story continues below advertisement So far, police said there haven't been any reports of a physical confrontation or interaction with the thieves. However, police are concerned that could happen. 'If homeowners do find themselves in a position where they're face-to-face with an intruder inside their home, we're asking them to retreat to a position of safety and call 911 immediately,' said MacKenzie. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'Don't, under any circumstances, try and confront these intruders.' MacKenzie said police believe they know who some of the intruders are, but are also asking homeowners to help prevent the thefts by offering up a long list of safety tips, including: Lock all windows and doors – even when you are home; Keep all valuables, including purses, wallets and keys away from the front door and don't store them in an obvious location; Consider using a safe for valuables and important documents and keep it in a well-hidden area; Close your blinds to prevent people from looking inside your home; Install lights that are motion-activated or on a timer; Make sure your basement windows are locked; Consider installing an alarm system and security or doorbell cameras as a deterrent; and Practice the 9 p.m. routine. View image in full screen Calgary police said homeowners can help prevent residential break-ins by installing security cameras or doorbell cameras on their homes. File photo 'The last person to go to bed at the end of the night, make sure all the doors and windows are locked and valuables are placed out of sight, close blinds, use motion sensor lights and there's a whole series of things that can be found on the Calgary Police Service website under 9 p.m. routine,' said MacKenzie. Story continues below advertisement Police are also urging residents to be familiar with their neighbourhood and be on the lookout for any suspicious activity — report the licence plate, colour, make, model, year and unique features, such as stickers or damage on any suspicious vehicles — and note the physical descriptions of any suspicious people, including the clothing and footwear they are wearing. 'If something like a vehicle or person makes you think twice, then just give us a shout,' said MacKenzie. 'We'd be happy to come in and check it out and investigate it. Just don't guess, just give us a shout and we'll come check it.' Anyone who may have information on the recent break and enters that could be of interest to police is asked to call the police non-emergency line at 403-266-1234. Tips can also submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers cy calling 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at or by downloading the Crime Stoppers app — P3 Tips — from the app store.
Global News
40 minutes ago
- Global News
Quebec police arrest 22 ‘high-risk' sex offenders after surveillance operation
See more sharing options Send this page to someone via email Share this item on Twitter Share this item via WhatsApp Share this item on Facebook Québec provincial police say they have arrested 22 convicted sex offenders in an operation involving 17 municipal police forces. Provincial police say that between June 2 and 13, officers monitored 69 people who were considered to have a 'high risk of reoffending.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Police arrested 14 people for breach of conditions, sexual offences or other crimes. They underwent eight arrest warrants for failing to comply with the federal Sex Offender Information Registration Act. Provincial police say more than 85 officers participated in the operation in cities including Montreal, Québec City, Longueuil, Laval and Gatineau. They say all of the people arrested have either appeared in court or will do so soon.
